Venetian blind



y 1927' w. E. DUNCANSON VENETIAN BLIND Filed July 7. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet1 \Illllllll'lll 20 INVENTOR M60 75/? 501/ JON BY M ATTORNEYS tilPatented May 24, 1 927.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. DUNCANSON, 01 NEW YORK, R, Y., ASSIGNOB TO THE J. G. WILSONCOR- PORATION, OF NEW vomnn. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

vnnn'rnn BLIND] Application med July], 1925. Serial in. 41,944.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds.

One object of, the present. invention is to improve the construction andmode of operation of the devices for tilting the slats of Venetianblinds intodifferent positions and for holding the slats in adjustedpositions against wind pressure and other disturbmg forces.

Another object of the invention is to 1mprove the construction of thedevices for supportin a Venetian blind in operatlve position with a viewof facilitating the setting up of the blind and the dismounting of thesame.

Other objects of the invention are to 1mprove the construction andarrangement of various other parts of Venetian blinds.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the noveland improved features, constructions, and combinations of partshereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, theadvantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated bythoseskilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings,illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the followingdetailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a Venetian blindembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation illustrating certain devicesfor supporting the blind shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially on the line4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified construction;

Fig. 6 is 'a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 5; v

Fig. 7 is a, view in vertical section taken substantially on the line77of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section taken substantially on the line 88of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing certain of the parts indifferent positions;

Fig. 10 is a plan view illustrating certain of the parts shown in Fig.7;

Fig. 11 isa view in vertical section taken substantially on the line1111 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a view in vertical section taken sulastantlally on the line12-12 of Fig.11; an

' Fig. is a view in horizontal section taken substantially on the line13--13 of Fig. 12.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings of thisapplication, the blind comprises a series of slats, indicated at 2,suspended from a tilting bar, indicated at 4, which Is tiltinglysupported upon a supporting bar, indicated at 6. In order to facilitatethe setting up and dismounting of the bhnd, the ends of the supportingbar 6 are removably mounted on and secured to end brackets 8 and 10,adapted to be secured to the sides of a window frame. Each of thesebrackets is provided with a substantially horizontal plate or shelf 12,upon which an end of the supporting bar rests, and the supporting bar issecured to the bracket by means of a screw 14 or other suitable fastenmgdevice passing through a slot 15 in the shelf 12 from the under side ofthe shelf and driven into the supporting bar, this slot preferablyhaving an open end as shown in 1g. 4. To hold the supporting barsecurely in place on the shelf, the shelf is provided adJacent itsforward side with an elevation 16 arranged to engage the forward part ofthe head of the fastening device 14 when the fastening device is drivenhome. This will prevent the fastening device from being disengaged fromthe slot 15 by a forward movement of the supporting bar with relation tothe bracket. The supporting bar, however, may be readily removed fromthe brackets 8 and 10 upon partially withdrawing. the fastening devices14.

In the present constructionthe tilting bar 4 is pivotally supported fromthe supporting bar 6 by means of brackets 18 and 20,"secured to thesupporting bar, and each providedwith a downwardly extending arm inwhich is formed a bearing for one of the pivot studs 22 attached toplates 23 and projecting from the ends of the tilting bar. The slats 2are suspended from the tilting bar by means of tapes 24 attached attheir upper ends to the tilting bar in the manner shown in Fig. 8.

The pivots for the tilting bar are located "with relation to the bar,so'that the bar is shoe. Thus the the brake and enables the tiltingbar-to be held into different positions preferably by means of cords 28and 30, extending in opposite directions about the bar and each securedat its end to the bar, as shown in Fig. 7. The cord 28 extends from thetilting bar directly downwardly. The cord 30, however,extends from thebar upwardly over a ulley 32, r0- tatably mounted upon the bracket 18.Thus the tilting bar may be tilted in opposite directions by pullingdownwardly on the respective cords 28 and 30.

In the present form of the invention the tilting bar is provided with africtionally acting brake mechanism for holding the bar in any positionin which it'is tilted. This mechanism comprises preferably a brakesegment 34, attached to one end of the tilting bar, and a brake shoe 36mounted on one end of a spring arm 38 secured to the supportin" bar 6.-The brake segment 34 is provi ed with a peripheral V-shaped recess 35,and the brake shoe 36 is also V-shaped to fit into the recess 35. Thisconstruction provides a highly eflicient braking action between thebrake segment and the brake shge, y the brake mechanism in any positionin which it is tilted.

As shown clearly in Fig. 8, the upper part of the spring arm or plate 38has an angular formation and bears upon the bracket 18 at the :1 ex ofthis angle so that it may be rocked a out its hearing. The spring plateis secured to the supporting bar by means of screws 39 and 41 or othersuitable fastening devices, of which the screw 39 passes through theplate at its bearing point and the screw 41'passes through the plateadjacent the end thereof remote from the brake pressure of the brakeshoeon out 34 may be readily adjusted by ad usting the screw 41.

The brake segment 34 is preferably located so that the central part ofthe braking surface of said segment is somewhatfarther from the axes ofthe tilting bar than the ends of the braking surface of the saidsegment.This result may be secured by locating the pivots 22 and the brakesegment so that the center of the brake segment is somewhat above theaxial line of said pivots, as

shown in Fig. 8. The brake segment is arranged in the manner describewith relation to the axis of the tilting bar-sot-hat the brake shoe willpress with less force upon betweenthe same and the brake shoe,

the braking surface of the brake segment when the tilting bar has beentilted to its limiting position in either direction from a horizontalposition. With the tilting bar in either of its limiting tiltedpositions, the leverage produced when either of the cords 28 or 30 ispulled'downwardly to tilt the bar toward a-horizontal, will be less thanwhen the bar is in any other position. This low degree of leverage,however, will be compensated for by the relatively light pressure of thebrake shoe on the braking surface of the brake se ment so that thetilting bar may be readi y tilted.

The bracket 18 is preferably constructed to locate the pulley 32 inspaced relation to the brake se ment 34 so no liability t rat the cord30 will enga e the periphery of the brake segment an jam or that saidcord will become engaged between the brake segment and the adjacent armof bracket 18. Also the cord 28 preferably is located inside of the cord30 to prevent the cord 28 from engaging the periphery of the brakesegment.

The tilting bar 40 is supported at its ends only by the brackets 18 and20 and the entire weight of the slats of the blind is carried by thisbar. In order to prevent the central portion of the bar from sagging,the bar is provided with a link 40 for supporting the central portion onthe bar. This link is itself supported and is connected with the bar insuch a manner as to allow the bar to tilt substantially through an angleof 180. As shown in the drawing, the link 40 is pivolfilly connectedwith the tilting bar by means of a transverse bar or head 41 engaging ina recess 42 in the tilting bar, and the body of the link engages in aslot 23 in the tilting bar leading to the recess 40 and having theangular form shown clearly in Fi 11 of the drawing. The slot 43 isprefera ly shaped so that the link 40 may turn with relation to thetilting bar through an angle of somewhat over The upper end of the link40 is supported upon a guide rod 44 secured to the supporting bar 6.This guide rod enables the link 40 to tilt with the tilting bar when thetilting bar has reached its limiting position with relation to the link40 by reason of the engagement of one end of the slot 43 with the hnk.The ide 44 is preferably curved in an arc struc about the axis of therod 40 as acenter. Through the combined angular movement of the tiltingbar with relation to the link 40 and the swinging of the link allowed bythe sliding movement of the link along the guide 44, the tilting bar isenabled to tilt through an angle of substantiall 180.

T e slats are arranged to be raised and lowered. by means of cords 46,each conthat there will be a mounted in a slot atone end of thesupportnected at one end with the lowermost slat and extending upwardlythrough slots-in the other slats. These cords pass over pulleys 48mounted in slots in the supporting bar, and both pass together over apulley 50 ing bar, the cords extending downwardly from the latter pulleyand preferably being secured together after leaving this pulley.Theright-hand bracket 10 which carries the supporting bar, is providedwith a slot 52 having an open end to receive the portions of the cords46 extending downwardly be yond the pulley 50. This slot greatlyfacilitates the setting up of the blind, since, when the supporting barwith the parts of the blind suspended therefrom, is placed on thebrackets 8 and 10, the cords will readily assume their proper locationwithin the slot. The brackets 8 and 10 are each provided with a portion54, as shown inFig. 3', overhanging the supporting bar at the rearthereof so as to prevent the supporting bar from tilting.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the bracket 8, isformed with an upwardly extending portion or projection 56 in which isformed a slot 58 to receive a fastening device 60 to pass through theslot and driven into the supporting bar- 6. In this construction thehead of the fastening device 60 engages .in a depression in theprojection 56 when the fastening device is driven home, so that afastening device cannot then be disengaged from a slot by an upwardmovement of the forward part of the tilting barfi; Upon loosening thefastening device to disengage the head thereof from the depressedportion of the projection 56, the forward art of the supporting bar maybe lifted to disengage the fastening 5 device from the slot.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular construction of the, illustrated embodiment of the invention,but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scopeof the claims.v

What is claimed as new is- 1. A Venetian blind construction comprising asupporting bar, a bracket for the sup porting bar provided with a platehaving a slot with an o 11 end in one part thereof, slats suspende fromthe supporting bar, a fastening device having a shank adapted to bepassed through the slot and driven into the bar and a head, and anelevation on the plate arranged to engage said head to pre vent thewithdrawal of the fastening device by a relative movement of the bar andbracket in the direction of the plane of said part of the plate. a

2. A Venetian blind comprising a supporting bar, a side bracket for thesupporting bar formed with a slot, slats suspended from the supportingbar, a fastening device inserted in the slot and driven into the bar andhaving a head, and a projection on the bracket for engaging the head toprevent the fastening device from being disengaged from the slot exceptwhen said device is partially withdrawn from the bar.

3. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, slats connected with thetilting bar, a sag-preventing link pivoted to the tilting bar at oneend, and means for supporting to swing with the tilting bar during aportion of the movement of the bar.

4. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, slats connected with thetilting bar, a

sag-preventing link pivotally connected at,

one end with the bar, and means for slidingly supporting the other endof the link to allow the link to swing with the tilting bar as the baris tilted.

6. A Venetian blind comprising a supporting bar, side brackets forremovably holding the supporting bar, one of which brackets is formedwith a portion overhanging the supporting bar to prevent tilting of saidbar and means spaced from said overhanging portion for securing the baragainst being lifted from the bracket.

7. A Venetian blind comprising a supporting bar, slats suspended fromthe supporting bar, pulleys mounted on the supporting bar, cords forraising and lowering the slats passing over said pulleys, and sidebrackets for removably supporting the ends of the supporting bar, one ofwhich brackets is provided with an open ended slot to receive thedownwardly extending portions of said cords.

8. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, slats suspended from thetilting bar, cords for actuating the tilting bar, a brake for thetilting bar, a. pulley above the tilting bar for guiding one of saidcords, and means for supporting the pulley in spaced relation to thebrake to prevent the jamming of the latter cord in said brake.

9. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting .bar,"a brake for the tiltingbar, slats susthe other end of the link to allow the link for tiltingthe bar in the opposite direction extending downwardly past an upwardlyextending portion of the first cord on the side of the latter cordopposite the brake.

10. A Venetian blind comprising a supporting bar having a longitudinalslot extending through one end of said bar, P1111 leys mounted in a slotin'said bar, one of which pulleys is located at the latter end of saidbar, a bracket having a plate on which the latter end of the supportingbar is removably held, said plate being formed with a slot registeringwith the slot in the said bar and lifting cords for the blind extendingover said pulleys and downwardly through the slot in said plate.

11. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, slats connected with thetilting bar, means for pivotally supporting the tilting bar, one or morecords connected with the tilting bar for tilting the same, a brake shoe,and a brake member mounted on the tilting bar, engaged by said brakeshoe and having its surface eccentricto the arc of rotation of thetilting bar so that the braking efi'ect will vary with the leverageproduced upon pulling the tilting cords when the bar is in differentpositions.

12. A Venetian blind comprising a sup-. porting bar, a bracketfoigholding the supporting bar having a plate upon which said bar rests,and a slot with an open end in a part thereof adjacent one side marginof the bar and a portion overhanging the opposite side margin of the barto prevent tilting of said bar, and -a fastening device engaging in theslot for removably holding the bar in position on the bracket;

13. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, slats connected with thetilting bar, means for pivotally supporting the tilting bar, cordsconnected with the tilting bar for tilting the same, and a brake for thetilting bar for holding the same in osition, arranged to vary the brakine ect to compensate for the variations in leverage produced upon pullingthe tilting cords with the bar in difierent positions.

14. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, means for pivotallysupporting the tilting bar, slats suspended from the tilting bar, atilting cord attached to the bar and extending beneath the same, apulley arranged forwardly of and above the bar over which the said cordpasses, and a second cord attached to the bar and extendin forwardlyover the same and then directly ownwardly.

15. A Venetian blind comprising a tilting bar, means for pivotallysupporting the tilting bar below its center of gravity, slats suspendedfrom the tilting bar, a tilting cord attached to the bar and extendingbeneath the same forwardly, a pulley arranged above and forwardly of thebar over which said cord passes, and a second cord attached to the barand extending forwardly over the same and then directly downwardly.

16. A Venetian blind comprising in combination a. tilting bar, a seriesof parallel slats, connections between the slats and the tilting bar forcausing the slats to turn with said bar, and a brake for holding thetilting bar in position, arranged for adjustment to regulate thefrictional action of the brake.

17. A Venetian blind comprisin in combination a tilting bar, a series 0%parallel slats, connections between the slats and the tilting bar forcausing the slats to turn with said bar, a brake segment attached to thetilting bar, and a relatively fixed brake shoe for engaging saidsegment, arranged for adjustment to regulate the pressure of the brakeshoe on said segment.-

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 6th day of July, 1925.

WALTER E. DUNCANSON.

